


Day Three Hundred Fourteen || The Color Yellow

by 365daysofsasuhina



Series: 365 Days of SasuHina 2019 [314]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Middle School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bullying, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-16
Updated: 2019-11-16
Packaged: 2021-02-07 03:55:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21451621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/365daysofsasuhina/pseuds/365daysofsasuhina
Summary: She doesn't even WANT to wear this stupid dress...
Relationships: Hyuuga Hinata/Uchiha Sasuke
Series: 365 Days of SasuHina 2019 [314]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1235528
Comments: 6
Kudos: 45





	Day Three Hundred Fourteen || The Color Yellow

She hates, hates, _hates_ days like today. And by ‘like today’, Hinata specifically means one of the most dreaded days of the school year:

Picture day.

There’s just something so...embarrassing about having her picture taken. Part of it is her appearance: twelve years old, and still with such a round baby face. Her father still refuses to let her grow her hair out, stuck with the same short cut she’s had since _starting_ school. All the other girls, it seems, have gotten to let their hair reach such pretty, flowing lengths. She can’t help but be a little jealous. Add in that Hinata’s found herself to be a bit of an early bloomer, and she just...doesn’t like pictures of herself _at all_.

But the other most annoying part is that her father insists she wear the stupidest outfits. Staunch, unflattering, and just...overall horrible.

This year? A dress that looks straight out of the fifties. It’s honestly so dated she can hardly stand to look at it. And the color?

_Yellow._ Bright, slightly-off yellow. With white trim. Her already pale skin looks all the more washed out against the obnoxious shade...and she just _knows_ she’s going to be poked fun at over it. She’s in the sixth grade, a new middle schooler, and Hiashi still gets to pick her picture day outfit. As she gets on the bus, Hinata begins mentally preparing herself to resist the barrage of comments from those like Sakura and Ino. Hinata struggles enough to fit in fashionably normally...but this? _This_ is going to be _painful_.

Huddled in the corner of her seat, she keeps her backpack on her lap, doing her best to hide behind it. Of course, no one ever sits with her. No one ever pays her any mind. But she doesn’t want to run the risk of gaining anyone’s attention. And with it, their inevitable mockery.

But eventually...she’s going to have to get off the bus. As an extreme, she considers hiding once all the other students get off, but...well, the driver always does a sweep. And surely they’ll call her father if she doesn’t show up to class. Not only will she get in trouble with the school and her teachers, but with her father as well. And Hiashi would be _livid_ if she ever skipped so much as a single class.

...best to not even consider it. No matter what the other girls say to her, it would never compare to an angry Hiashi Hyūga.

So when the bus pulls up along the front of the school, everyone disembarking, Hinata swallows harshly before shakily standing and making her way out.

At least outside, with such a crowd, no one really seems to notice. It won’t be until she’s inside, probably in the classroom, that anyone will give her a second look and realize how ridiculous her outfit is.

_Just ignore them, Hinata...y-you hate it as much as they do. They...they just…_ Oh, what’s the use...there’s no fooling herself. Never will be. It’s not just the outfit they dislike. It’s her. _All_ of her. Her looks, her personality...she’s just your typical misfit.

Stepping up to the front door, Hinata gives it a somber look before making her way in.

The hallways, of course, are a madhouse: her middle school is fairly big, made bigger by the fact it’s technically also part elementary school: two separate wings for each group of students. She’s spent all of her time as a student here. It won’t be until the final four years she’ll get to leave this building behind and possibly find a better niche than the one she’s found...that being a lonely corner, out of the way.

The shuffle and quick pace means she’s mostly ignored - how in such a bright outfit, she’s really not sure. But at least by some grace she makes it to her locker without anyone giving her any trouble. Hurriedly, she puts away her bag, gathering what she’ll need for her first hour block. Maybe if she gets sat down quick enough, she’ll -

“Oh, _wow_…”

Her back muscles tense, frozen and facing her locker.

She knows that voice.

There’s a bubbling of laughter. “I didn’t know today was a _costume_ day...trying to look like the sun?” Behind Hinata, Ino can’t help but snicker. “That has to be the _ugliest_ shade of yellow I’ve _ever_ seen.”

“M...my dad...picked it,” Hinata offers feebly, still not turning around. Maybe she can put the blame elsewhere…

“Wait, your dad still dresses you? Well...I guess that explains a lot.”

...or it will just make things worse.

“Well there won’t be any mistaking _you_ in the yearbook,” the blond then offers, shrugging her shoulders. “I think the editors might have to tone down the brightness or they’ll go blind!”

Clutching her books, Hinata just waits until she hears Ino’s laughter disappear down the hall. Okay, well...that was probably the worst of it. Sakura will probably have words, but hers are never quite as sharp as Ino’s: just attempts at follow ups that never pan out quite as well.

Everyone else will probably just laugh. And...she’s used to that.

Clinging her supplies to her chest, she speedily walks to her first classroom, taking her seat near the back and doing her best to sink in her chair. Most of the others are too busy talking to friends or hurrying to finish up homework to notice her...good. Hopefully it will stay that way. The biggest hurdles will be the actual pictures...and lunch. If she can just make it through those...the worst will be over.

Then she can try to pretend that today never happened.

More and more students filter in, and Hinata just sits still, eyes flickering in search of anyone looking at her. But, as per usual, she’s mostly ignored.

“Nice outfit.”

Almost jumping out of her skin, Hinata looks to the desk next to her own in the corner. Setting his books atop it is her typical neighbor, Sasuke. His brow is perked, looking her over critically. “Did you _mean_ to wear that?”

Slowly blooming pink, Hinata tries to figure out a passable answer. Does she dare admit the same excuse as she did to Ino? “U...um…”

“Cuz I mean...that’s nothing like what you usually wear.”

...she blinks. Blinks again. He…? But…? How would he know…? Unless he’s been…?

“...m...my father p-picked it out. He’s, um...he’s v-very strict about my...about my school p-picture.”

Understanding brightens Sasuke’s face a bit. “...that makes sense. He, uh...really doesn’t have a clue about clothes, does he? You look like a banana.”

The color in her cheeks gets darker. “I...I-I know…”

“Didn’t bring anything to change into after pictures?”

“...no…” She hadn’t thought of that…

“Well...guess you’re stuck with it.”

Wilting a bit, Hinata nods in defeat.

“Eh, whatever. It’s just one day. My brother says the seniors always dress up goofy for theirs. Maybe if anyone asks, you’re just starting early.”

Another blink. “...they do?”

“Yeah. Drives my brother nuts.” A hint of a smile pulls at his lips. “He’s such a prude...I bet he won’t do it next year.”

“W...will you? I-I mean, when you’re a...a senior?”

“I might. Guess it depends on how I feel. It’s a long time between now and then, after all. But hey, you’re not the only one who’s gotta dress up.”

Blinking, Hinata watches as Sasuke tugs the zipper of his jacket. Beneath is a dress shirt, complete with a bright red tie. It...looks a bit odd with his shorts and sneakers.

“The pictures are only waist up, so the rest doesn’t matter,” he explains at her confused expression, closing the zipper. A hint of a smirk pulls at his lips. “This way, I can hide it all day.”

“...lucky,” she can’t help but comment, going red as she realizes he heard her.

“Didn’t bring a coat?”

“No...a-and even then, you can still see the s-skirt…”

“Oh...yeah, true.”

“Hey, Sasuke!”

Immediately, the boy’s face sours. Ino sashays her way over, perching atop his desk with one knee over the other. “What?”

“Just wanted to make sure you’re not going blind back here,” she quips with a smirk. “Poor thing, having to look at that _ugly_ dress...I don’t know which is worse: that, or wearing it!”

All the while, Hinata just sits silently, taking the abuse with a tight jaw.

“Funny, I was gonna say it’s about the same shade as your hair,” Sasuke retorts.

The blonde gives him an aghast glance. “...what?!”

“She didn’t pick the clothes, Ino. Leave her alone. You really got nothing better to do than make fun of her for an outfit she doesn’t even want?”

“I...but…she looks ridiculous!”

By now, the talk has garnered some attention, other students looking back curiously.

“So? Like I said, it’s not what she wanted. So leave her alone. It’s just a dress.” Standing, Sasuke then asks, “You wanna see ridiculous?” He reopens his coat, gesturing to the non sequitur between his top and the rest of his outfit.

A few kids laugh, including Sasuke’s best friend Naruto.

“Gonna laugh at me too, Ino? Or is this not _really_ about clothes?”

Mouth flapping like a fish out of water as she fails to find a response, Ino instead claps her lips shut and retreats back to her desk.

“Tch...there.” Not bothering to zip his coat, Sasuke retakes his seat. “...I think that settles that.”

Hinata gapes at him. “...you…?”

“What?”

“...nevermind.” Well...maybe today won’t be so bad after all.

**Author's Note:**

> It's so late omg @~@ I...didn't really like this prompt, so this is rather...random? But it's all I could really think of. Poor Hinata, I'm always writing her getting bullied...but that's typically what happens to the quiet kids. Either they're ignored, or poked fun at =/
> 
> But at least Sasuke's got her back on this one!
> 
> Anyway, it's SUPER late, I gotta go! Thanks for reading~


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